Rare Mercedes Leads RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba Sale

A 1928 Mercedes-Benz 680 S Torpedo-Sport Avant-Garde — one of only three ever built — tops the list of offerings at RM Sotheby’s upcoming Villa Erba sale, held in conjunction with the Villa d’Este Concours that’s scheduled for May 27 on the shores of Italy’s Lake Como.

The Mercedes, chassis number 35949 (Kimball Studios photo courtesy of RM Sotheby’s), features one of Saoutchik’s most alluring designs, a combination of German engineering with French Avant Garde styling. The car was originally purchased by Standard Oil director Frederick Henry Bedford Jr. after it was displayed at the 1929 New York Auto Show, and it remained in his family’s care for three-quarters of a century before being acquired in 2008 by Paul and Chris Andrews.

They commissioned Paul Russell & Co., to perform a body-off restoration that resulted in a 100-point performance and Best of Show honors at the 2012 Pebble Beach Concours — the first of many similar honors earned since.

“It’s a distinct honor to present this very special Mercedes-Benz at our Lake Como sale,” commented Shelby Myers, car specialist for RM Sotheby’s. “A true show-stopper, not only is it one of the most stunning automobiles ever to wear the Mercedes-Benz three-pointed star, but also one of the most memorable concours starlets of the 21st century, making it a perfect fit to the Concorso d’Eleganza weekend.”

For further information about this and all the other offerings at RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba sale, please visit www.rmsothebys.com